Feb. 9, 2018
Spire Invitational Results | | Iowa State Classic Results
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State wrapped up the opening day of competition across the country as the Nittany Lions competed at the Spire Invitational and Iowa State Classic Friday afternoon.
In Ames, Iowa, Timothy McGowan posted the second-fastest non-converted time in program history running 13:55.00 in the 5,000-meters finishing fourth. Also competing in the 5,000-meters was McGowan's brother John McGowan who finished with a time of 14:13.36. Jillian Hunsberger (16:07.26), Alison Willingmyre (16:37.71), and Kathryn Munks (16:38.77) represented the Nittany Lions finishing 11th, 19th and, 21st, respectively.
Stepping down to the 3,000-meters, Colin Abert crossed the line in 8:05.91 to round out the line up on day one at the Iowa State Classic.
In Geneva, Ohio, the bulk of the Penn State track & field teams took to the track during day one of the Spire Invitational. The meet serves as a preview of the same track that Penn State will compete on during the 2018 Big Ten Indoor Championships in a short few weeks (Feb. 23-24).
In the pentathlon, Alyssa Yeboah-Kodie put together a gold medal performance finishing the five-event competition with a total of 3,179-points. Yeboah-Kodie's marks were 9.15 in the 60-meter hurdles, 1.62m (5'-3.75") in the high jump, 4.97m (16'-3.25") in the long jump, 9.46m (31'-0.50") in the shot put and 2:46.91 in the 800-meters.
Luke Rarig completed the first half of the men's heptathlon only 171-points off the lead and currently in third-place. Rarig's marks on day one were 7.36 in the 60-meters, 6.50m (21'-4") in the long jump, 11.50m (37-8.75") in the shot put, and 1.81m (5'-11.25") in the high jump.
In the women's weight throw, Obeng Marfo finished with a best mark of 17.90m (58'-08.75") taking fifth-place, while in the men's weight throw Penn State finished 1-2-4-8 behind the throws of David Lucas (21.89m/71'-10.00"), Morgan Shigo (20.54m/67'-4.75"), Luke Grodeska (18.80m/61'-8.25"), and Ben Peterson (17.31m/56'-9.50"), respectively.
Hannah Mulhern led the women's pole vault group that finished 1-3-4. Mulhern led with a clearance of 4.12m (13'-6.25"), followed by Katie Jones and Greer Gumbrecht at 3.82m (12'-6.25").
The women's 600-meters saw two Nittany Lions post top-10 finishes as Victoria Tachinski clocked 1:30.65 followed by teammate Frances Bull at 1:31.77. For the men, Samuel Reiser led the charge running 1:20.58 in the 600-meters.
In the 200-meters Keianna Albury (24.05) and Kiara Lester (24.10) blazed the track to a 1-2 finish that was matched on the men's side by a 1-2-3-5-6-8 finish for Penn State. True freshman Terrance Laird led the way racing to a time of 20.81 followed by Malik Moffett (20.96), Xavier Smith (21.17), Anton Porter (21.76), Kier Miner (21.91), and Darien Williams at 21.98.
Brady Bobbitt (15:19.14) and Ben Bumgarner (15:24.82) rounded out the competition for Penn State on day one in the 5,000-meters.